Criticizing The President Is Not Racist

You know a side is on the run rhetorically when it deals the race card. The race card is divisive, disingenuous and outright dangerous, but its great virtue is that it can slow down the other side’s momentum, and even stop it altogether.

So, in a way, those of us who believe President Obama’s health care plans are misguided and hazardous to our national well being can take some comfort in the fact that the President’s supporters are so desperate that they are now crying “racism” in order to stop opposition.

Paul Krugman today in the New York Times writes that the motivation of those turning out to town halls across the nation is “racial anxiety.” And yesterday, in the Washington Post, Philip Kennicott wrote that a poster depicting Mr. Obama as the Joker in Batman movies, with the word “socialism” running underneath, “is ultimately a racially charged image.”

Both arguments were tortuous in the extreme, as they had to be, but were made nonetheless because they raise a sign that says, “Stop! Criticizing the President is racist.”

No, it isn’t. It was a necessary step for a black person to be elected president, one in which all Americans can exult. But we have a black President now, and it is our responsibility to criticize him when we must. There is nothing racist about saying that we should not hand one-sixth of our economy to government control.

The Daily Signal depends on the support of readers like you. Donate now

Join The Discussion

> "It was a necessary step for a black person to be elected president"

But it wasn't a necessary step that a Marxist be elected President.

And the opposite of Marxist isn't "racist".

Suppose J. C. Watts hadn't gotten out of politics. I am sure the Liberals would be lining up to cry "racism" every time someone criticized his policies. Oh, wait — J. C. Watts is a Republican. Oh, the dilemma!

Suppose the first Hispanic Supreme Court justice had been Alberto Gonzalez instead of Sonia Sotomayor. No, wait, the Democrats "borked" Gonzalez when he was nominated by a Republican President to the appellate bench.

No hypocrisy on the Left, is there?

Look at the recent dust-up in St. Louis, where a Black conservative was beaten down and hospitalized for the "crime" of passing out "Don't Tread on Me" flags at a demonstration. His assailant, an SEIU member, was also Black. Why did the SEIU member assault the victim? To quote what the SEIU guy said afterward, "What was a Black man doing passing out those flags???" As a thought experiment, ask yourself what the SEIU guy would have done if the distributor of flags had been white? You bet. The flag-passer might have received a very severe flipping-off.

Call this all what it is. At best, it's partisanism.

At worst, it's jingoism.

Whatever else it is, it will eventually lead to the Balkanization of our nation.

Mike you are absolutely right! I disagree with Mr. Obama on principal, not skin color. I oppose him not for his race, but because his ideals and vision of our country are dangerous and damaging. The Liberal guilt that plagues so many Americans must stop now if we are to continue as the greatest nation on earth. We patriots must not be afraid to speak our minds.

I am not a racist. My Grandchildren are of mixed nationality and I love them like a grizzly bear loves their cubs. I do not want them to have to pay for others spending habits. I don't want them to shed blood, sweat and tears just to be able to eat. I don't want anyone telling them I am not going to be allowed to have anything that would allow me to live a few more years. It is my choice. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is my protection in a constitution that God inspired men to write for just such an occasion when hostile human beings think that my life is not worth saving. I have the freedom "of" religion not from religion and I am tired of others trying to deny my rights. I will pray anywhere my Father in heaven allows me to.

absolutely true! the left has associated disagreement with race. this stops all discussions because people don't like to be called racist. the definition of racist is; to dislike someone, thing or body solely on the race. for example; to say or take an action derogatory based race or because of race in a consistence manner. To express hatred towards a specific race, ie. KKK, Black Panthers… falls in line with racist. now to disagree with ones opinion in not! but the libs are so superior you can't disagree, and if you do, and you are right they label you as a racist, shutting down the argument. the key is to point out their problem and continue on.

As part of a minority group I must be an oddity. I don't view myself as a minority, I view myself as an American. With that being said I think it is long past time for "white Americans" to get over their unease with being called racist by left wing politicians and race-baiters. It apalls me when the trumped up charge of racism is hurled to silence political discussion. It is un-American to politicize an issue as important as racism. The politicization of this issue devalues its importance to our country. At a recent lunch gathering where I was the only minority I made this same point. I said to my associates, you need to get over it when a liberal plays the race card on you. Throw the accusation right back where it came from. I could sense my associates were uncomfortable as we quickly moved on to another topic. I gathered from this experience that we have a long way to go. But at least I planted the seed…

I think it is quite a stretch to say that criticizing what often appears to be racial anxiety at certain points in the oppositional argument means to say any criticism of the president is racists. I've never come across that point from progressives.

But when you see pictures of Obama's face photo-shopped onto a picture of a black witch doctor, with words below saying "Obamacare" there is something inherently racist there. When you have people continuing to raise this "birther" debate against a president who has a name that speaks of dubious ancestry of "unknown origin", there is some underlying social anxiety there. This is not policy debate at its finest.

People can criticize all they want, but using effigies of the joker which looks comparable to early-20th/19th century racist depictions of black Americans, or screaming about his origins because his father was from Kenya, is racist and is no solid criticism against his policies. Make policy and moral points, as Heritage seems to do well enough. Don't waste time with fear and ignorance.

After hearing the president and members of congress this week. It is evident he, and the majority of congress are leaning toward dictatorship. The White House has called out the thugs. Just like every other dictatorship leaders in history. Look at communist countries that did this in the past.

The only group that continually brings up race are the democrats and Obama himself, during the campaign and now during his presidency. He exposed himself for all to see on national television. What was suspected previously is now known -how he could sit for 20 years in that church. He is the individual who carries resentments and racial bias in his heart. Too bad our first black president had to be someone like him. I did not vote for him – not because of his color – but because of his politics, and I will continue to be critical of his politics, I will not be intimidated to silence!

I wholly agree, criticizing the president is not racist — it is not unpatriot. By the same token, however, I do not think it was a 'necessary step' for a black person to be elected president any more than any other thing of only symbolic significance. The question there really is what it takes to do the job, sense enough to see what will or will not work. Not to turn the country into an experiment beyond the bounds of the Constitution just to see what will happen when the people arrive at the place where they have had enough.

If you want to know what a man will do if you get him drunk and angry, you're better off just finding out what he did last time.

High time for the government to get real enough to justify even one fourth it cost, as the threats in the world are pressing in they do not have much time being, the first to go down.

Its time to take the gloves off….people know when something is rascist….and when its not

Its time to do whats right and let the cards fall and not be shouted down by fanatics

There are many minorities that have a significant conservative element who are being suppressed by the radicals in their midst. Its time bring them out to stand with us the majority conservatives so they can join their voices with ours.

I totally agree that "criticizing the president is not racist" as the President has no race, representing all Americans.

Further on, I see no "…comfort in the fact that the President’s supporters are so desperate that they are now crying 'racism' in order to stop opposition." It is deplorable and without merit for them to make such a blind accusation, which is neither a credit nor a benefit to anyone. It is a sorry distraction from factual matters and truncates any dialogue.

To also suggest that the citations are 'arguments' here elevates them from mere assertion; the connection exists only in the minds of those who wish to make an oblique threat with the label and no one else who is not a bigot.

Criticism is not racist nor is it unpatriotic in these examples, that is very clear.

There is more to such a theme in the statement “It was a necessary step for a black person to be elected president….” as the presumption of necessity carries a requirement beyond what should be the basic and over-riding criteria, not the least of which are the ability to do the job, honesty and integrity, and the willingness to assume the responsibilities of the oath of office. We expect as much from a high school class president. Exultation for that, instead of something shallow to the point of the superficial, shows a respect for our values as a society; that we are not just shifting clots of adversarial egoists.

Predicated on anything contrary to that true spirit of Liberty, where the election of someone other than an Anglo-Saxon Male millionaire is expectable, points to bigotry and worse.

Certainly we can avoid such negative thinking, by not accusing anyone of any dark thoughts we harbor ourselves.

I voice no objection to the president, but rather an objection to the bill. The bill, ‘‘America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009,’’ has no race. In fact, the bill was written by Congressman John Dingell of Michigan, et al. Barack Obama endorses that bill. How can my objection to that piece of …. legislation be construed as racist? Only through the most twisted line of reasoning. -RH [senior citizen, medicare customer]

If we were a racist country we would not have elected a black president, Obama in a recent speech remarked that anything can be achieved and he is an example of it, (not in those exact words,) He resurrected the racist issue when he took a completely unrelated question from a reporter when he was supposed to be answering questions about health care. The question was about the Cambridge police responding to a reported house break in. His answer in my opinion set back race relations 50 years and I think that is how he and many other blacks want to keep things.

I can't believe what has happened to the United States. I am on the verge of tears most of the time. If there were not so many giveaway programs, special interests, uncontrolled immigration, and all of our manufacturing going to China, the United States of America would not be the unproductive, bankrupt, trainwreck that it is. Russia and other communist countries do not have to do anything to us, we have done it on our own,and we are now speeding downhill even further with Obama, Pelosi, Reid, and the Emmanuels leading the charge.

The word that has replaced the word that has been in use since BIBLICAL TIMES. That word….. is HERETIC. Yes to be called a racist in today's political climate you can be, Pro Life, Anti Illegal Immigration, Member of the NRA, GOP, Conservative… Question WTF the Government is doing, Question what Obama is doing, question what any senator of differing race is doing / thinking…

In all actuality you could consider this administration of political party racism.

It would seem to me (especially as of late)that this new political regime is dousing the smoldering fires of racial issues with the highly flammable liquid of citizen discontent. Along with frequent sprinkling of fear tactics, based toward political dissenter's.

Instead of using the noun racist,

We should use the word politicist. As I have been a politicist for a good part of my life, As I do not particularly like or trust any politicians. That is why I am a life long American Independent voter, With "heavy emphasis" on AMERICAN.

The real racists are the Socialist that currently inhabit the White House. We saw that clearly with the recent Gates incident where the President, decided to use the incident as a mean to instigate more racial turmoil during a time when America has come so far as to have elected a black man to the highest rank in America. I guess thats wasn't enough for Obama, Perhaps he is waiting for Jesus Christ to step down and give him his seat.

Would it not be a good idea to lobby for term limits? Say, eight years for senators and six years for representatives. What would it tke to pass this? I suppose each state could do this without legislation if they chose to do so. Is there material on this matter?

In a dire emergency in the government, is there a way that a new government can be put in place to take over? Dosen't the Constitution provide for such an emergency? Our country is in danger of crashing at the end of the fiscal year. What can we legally do?

I wouldn't care what color a person's skin is if they were a good leader. He has proved he is not a good leader. He is a liar, inexperienced and a cry baby. I think he should be impeached! He is ruining this country. This is taking a big step backward if everyone cries race instead of taking the criticism. He's already done enough to damage race relations. That card has been played enough. I'm with Nancy – we need a new government takeover.

It is sad to see how our leaders in Washington are acting. I have attended a town hall meeting and the people there were regular people looking for answers. I have read HR-3200 and feel it is not in our best interest at all, and it has nothing to do with teh color of any ones skin. I personally feel HR-3200 is a blue print/business plan for a single payer, government system for America. No real improvement to our health care delivery system, only a movement to a government based system.

IT is very apperent that our senators are shutting us off and I hope they are listening to FOX news to get the real.

If I were a member of the DNC I would not like to be associated with the likes of J. Garofilo, now there's a racist. Criticism doesn't = racism. Term limits should help, six years then return to private life. A small additional stipend when you retire for your service should suffice. The entitlements for these political hacks are not helping the country.

The issue of term limits, six years for congressman and 12 years for senators, has been discussed before. It would take an amendment to the U.S. constitution. This has to be ratified by 38 states. It seems that the atmosphere is ripe for this change today.

Its pathetic to watch and 84 year old congressman try to defend Obamacare. He will have access to the cadillac health care, that all those feeding at the public trough in DC enjoy, for the rest of his life.

Another issue that the voters should know is that all of these elected officials will retire from their office on full pay, plus benefits, i.e., health care, etc.

We must focus all our efforts on the election of 2010. Once we have a majority in both houses who respect our opinions and realize they work for us, we can focus on the White House. To impeach and remove a US president from office, according to the constitution, is to find him guilty of "high crimes and misdemeanors". Not an easy task as we saw with Bill Clinton.

Lets not lose heart. This is the greatest nation on the globe. I have lived outside the U.S. for 15 years, witnessed universal healthcare, government control of many areas of peoples lives and people who feel they have no hope of shedding their corrupt politicians. Fortunately, we still have the ballot box!

The racial background of any president should never be the issue and the attempt to label those with serious concerns as racists when they show opposition to this president's policy only widens the racial divide and heightens the anxiety of those with concerns that the Democratic leadership and the President are not listening to "WE THE PEOPLE"!!

I remember vividly the adage of defense attorneys in Dade County, Florida and other places:

"When the facts are not on your side, argue a point of law; when the law is not on your side, argue the facts; when neither the facts nor the law is on your side, attack the character of your opponent!"

Let's see, does that seem to fit here? You bet it does. The facts are against them (we will lose our personal health coverage); the law is against them (we do have a right to protest); so all they can do is call us racists – and in an Op Ed today by Pelosi and Hoyer: Un-American.

During the election, and now into his Presidency, Obama continues to play the race card to stop opponents from questioning his political agenda.

We are not racists, unlike Mr. Obama, his pastor Rev Wright, his "Wise Latina" Supreme Court nominee Sotomayor, the Napolitano-backed Homeland Security terrorist memo, etc. that calls into question anyone who is against this Administration as being potential terrorists or somehow un-American?

In this country, we have something called Free Speech, and how we choose to utilize that in political discourse is what has enabled this country to remain a democracy for over 200 years. Obama wants to crush any opposition — like Putin, Chavez, Castro, etc — and turn this nation into a thugocracy or crushing dictatorship. Our voices will (and must) be heard before the crooks in Washington destroy our country.

What's sad about Obama's racist behavior (and his racist Supreme Court nominee) is that it will set our nation back when it comes to race relations and minority advancement.

Last year, the Kool-aid drinkers were all agog at the idea of our nation's first black president. Now the phrase "first black" or "first Latina" will set off alarm bells. We'll all be wondering if the person is truly qualified and the best person for the job versus someone with an agenda driven by skin color.

Congratulations, Obama. You've single-handedly done more damage to the Negro race than anyone in history.

The only racists in America are the people who hyphonate their nationality. We are all Americans and everyone here except the Native Americans has come from some other country. Why do some people continually reinforce their heritage rather than their nationality?

Criticism of perceived wrongdoing is an American right, it is the first right in the Bill of Rights. These rights are not and cannot be "given" to the people; they are inalienable rights claimed by the people who formed our government and who put that government on notice that such rights are not the government's to give or take away. These rights are what make American different from any other form of government in the world. They are what make us free men and women. Hundreds of thousands of Americans have fought and died defending these rights, making them sacred.

Trying to stifle the rights of free speech of citizens to criticize their elected officials, by any means, is anti-American. When we believe that our elected officials are going the wrong way, it is not only our right, but our duty to criticize their behavior, regardless of who the official is.

Resorting to the use of the term "racism" to silence such criticism is terrible. It cheapens the term "racism", which is a terrible thing in its own right.

Members of my family and some friends are bi-racial and some are of color. Skin color does not make up the soul, this man is corrupt, he was a member of the chicago Mob, need I say anything else. The Mob mentality prevails, now if we speak up against this health bill, ie: "Death warrent for Seniors" we are unamerican. This bill is unconstitutional, next year be a member of the NEW REVOLUTION, xtalk to others, and make sure they get out and vote, our last election was rigged and we need to m,ake sure this next one isn't. Every house seat and 1/3 of Senate are up, check their records out and VOTE,VOTE VOTE.

Although I am not a supporter of the ACLU by any stretch maybe we should complain to them about the Whitehouse collecting names and info about those that disagree with them. Isn't that against our Constitutional rights, are we not entiled to free speech without fear of government chastisement ?

It was only a matter of time before " the annointed one" decided to pull out the "race" card. BS, they don't get it! The American people do not want the Obamacare Bill shoved down their throats. They do not want government telling them what to do with their lives. Let alone the taxes that are going to come with passage of this bill. Who all of a sudden declared that health care needed to be fixed? This whole concept is not about health care, it is about absolute power! If you depend on the government for your health care, then they(the government)will control the rest of your life. You will become dependant on them for everything, so who else will you vote for next election,the people who take care of you!! Make no mistake, healthcare is the least of their goals.

I am so tired of hearing all this nonsense about ‘race’. It would be great if our first black president were someone like Alan Keyes or Walter E. Williams. I want to make something clear – I DID NOT vote against Obama because of his race. I voted against Obama for the same reasons I’d never vote for Pelosi, Hillary Rotten Clinton, Henry Wacko-man, Dianne Frankenstein, Algore, Chuck Schumer, Al Franken, Bill Nelson, J.D Rockefeller, or many other white liberal democraps.

Is it possible for a person of color to be more righteous, or more intelligent, or more talented than a white person in any particular field of endeavor? Of course it is. If you can't accept this premise, you most likely are a racist. If you do accept this premise, then you must accept its reverse. And given the reverse, there should be no reason for trying to silence anyone pointing out the difference.

Racism and socialism are two different things. Obama and his executive staff plus the Congressional leaders and many Democrat members of Congress have shown that they are either socialist or just plain stupid.

Obamah is there a color issue??? Children don't see color, two babies in a nursery laying right next to each other they grow up,play together and do everything with each other and don't know any difference util it is brought to their attention. By an adult!!!

If all adults were more like little children, our children would never know this issue ever existed!!!! It needs to be put to rest we are all equal in Gods eyes….

Most of the people who hurl the word racist around are doing it merely to put their opponents on the defensive. Once someone says, "Oh, I am not a racist," they have hooked them. It is a very low tactic, one that, I think, will be used so much that it will eventually simply have no effect, as it should not.

"It was a necessary step for a black person to be elected president, one in which all Americans can exult."

Why was it a necessary step? That seems more racist than the blatantly insane accusations of the left.

It wasn't necessary but it happened and is it reason to exult? Not really. It could have happened a few years ago with Powell but those same leftists wouldn't have it. He wasn't black enough.

Just like we could have already had a supreme court judge of latin origin – from Honduras in fact – except again, the leftists wouldn't have it as they played the other side of their racist card.

Socialism is blind – it doesn't matter what race those imposing it are, or whom they are imposing it on – it is a failed ideology and that is proving to be true here and Americans of all races and political beliefs are speaking out against it.

I am living inside Iran but I pursue the events of presidency of America because I think every decision by the prsident of U.S.A. will affect on my country certainly. I think Mr. Obama is the most socialist president in the history of America and this matter make me worried, because this is simply against the high principles of the America as I know. I can't understand why the president want to depending the insurance industry to the government. You remeber when the George W. Bush's administration made the decision to increase the governmental control in some areas in the short run just for protecting the country and its values from terrorism, this very Democrat party tried to interpret it as the effort to limit the individual freedom of the American citizens. Now that it has came to the power both in the White House and in Congress it is doing in such way as if every decision it make will be right and all the american people must accept it.

In the end I just want to say one thing; here is the United States of America, not European Union.

IF HE CAN NOT STAND THE HEAT, THEN GET OUT OF THE KITCHEN. I have always heard the truth hurts, and if the shoe fits wear it, well obama is hearing the truth and must wear the shoe that it brings. His statement concerning Gates and the Cambridge police was very "racist" but you never heard the big media mention it. They are in his pocket as they are the ones that got this thing elected.

I have never wanted to critize the "President" the "President" before, but will now as I think he is wrong, just as pelosi and the dems are wrong in what they are doing.I will never vote democratic again.

You can now officially determine if Nobel Prize and Socialism are one and the same. The Clue is that individual who now has five names. Why it's Nobel Prize Winner Paul Krugman, a man so far to the left, he has his own latitude.

Don’t have time to read the Washington Post or New York Times? Then get The Morning Bell, an early morning edition of the day’s most important political news, conservative commentary and original reporting from a team committed to following the truth no matter where it leads.

Email address

Ever feel like the only difference between the New York Times and Washington Post is the name? We do. Try the Morning Bell and get the day’s most important news and commentary from a team committed to the truth in formats that respect your time…and your intelligence.